Sam, the Deputy Director of human resources, has highlighted the financial benefits of decentralizing the agency's managerial training program. Such a change would entail holding five regional training conferences instead of one national training conference. Fewer employees would have to travel to attend the training, and fewer resources would be spent on lodging. Therefore, by decentralizing the training, Sam argues the agency would be saving money. Which of the following statements, if true, would most seriously weaken the above argument?
a. The agency has used regional training programs in the past and, for the most part, these programs have been ineffective.
b. The national training facility is more expensive to use than the five regional training facilities combined because the national facility is a hotel and the regional facilities are government-owned.
c. The cost of eight additional facilitators, which would be needed for the regional conferences, would exceed the cost of lodging for the national conference.
d. The Director of the agency has announced a strategic plan that includes better communication and collaboration between managers of different regions.
e. Traveling to a national conference requires trainees to be gone from their offices for a week.